She looked into his face and he saw the fine lines around her eyes and mouth. It occurred to him then that this woman had a lot on her mind of which he knew nothing. For the first time she frightened him. Her reputation had preceded her, yet on his first meeting he had been pleasantly surprised. Looking at her now, he was convinced she was capable of anything.

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen

Briony woke up to a terrific thumping on her bedroom door.

‘What’s going on!’ Tommy opened his eyes and stared at her.

‘It’s your mother, Briony, she’s downstairs with Rosalee.’ Cissy’s voice was loud and Briony screwed up her eyes and groaned.

‘All right, tell her I’ll be down in a minute.’

‘Your mother’s like a bleeding jinx, always around when no one wants her.’

Briony laughed gently.

‘Tell me about it.’ She pulled herself out of the bed and, going to her wardrobe, took out a wrap of heavily embroidered Chinese silk. Her long hair was hanging down her back in tangles and she began to brush it furiously to try and tame it.

Tommy got out of the bed and scratched his belly while he stretched. ‘I feel knackered.’

‘Stay in bed. I’ll get Cissy to bring you up some tea.’

‘Nah, I’ve got to see some people today.’ He sat on the side of the bed and closed his eyes.

‘Who have you got to see?’

‘Oh, no one in particular, just a few mates. Tell Cissy I’ll have that tea now, if you don’t mind. And tell your mother not to get me up in future.’

Briony grinned.

‘As if she’d take any notice!’

‘What kind of time do you call this, still in bed at ten-thirty in the morning. My God, child, you must be raking it in.’

‘And good morning to you and all, Mum.’ She knelt down and kissed Rosalee’s face. ‘Hello, Rosie darling.’

Rosalee clapped her hands together and said: ‘Bri, Bri.’

Molly tutted loudly and poured her out a cup of tea Cissy had brought them. ‘I don’t know, Briony, you’re a lady of leisure, sitting in your dressing gown like Lady Astor, and the day nearly over.’

‘Oh, Mum, put a sock in it, for Christ’s sake! My clubs don’t shut ’til three in the morning, then I have to do the takings among other things, so please give me five minutes’ peace. Now what do you want and how much is it gonna rush me?’

Molly screwed up her eyes and gritted her teeth. ‘What makes you think I’m after something?’

Briony did laugh then, a real laugh that burst out of her tiny frame and caused Rosie to laugh with her.